Shoe-sole.



G. L. PIERCE.

SHOE SOLE.

APPucATloN FILED MAR. 31. 1917.

1,242,233. Patented oet. 9,1917.

l ffff /l l l l l l l I l l l l l I l l I I l l l l 'l l b 1 C C I l l ,f a

O O O O o O O Z aven/tor leo29cL.Pc7^ce,

Unrrn s'rnns .GEORGE L. PIERCE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T A. G. SPALDING & BROS.,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHOE-SOLE.

Application led March 31, 1917.

- To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I., GEORGE L. PIERCE, al citizen -of the United States, and resident of Brooklyn, N. Y., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Soles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in dancing, walking and athletic shoes and its object is to provide a relatively flexible sole in a continu-ous outer sole.

Prior to my invention it has been-proposed to flex the sole by cutting through either the flesh side or the grain side of the leather, the usual line of stitches at the sides passing through the protruding ends of the flexed portion.

I`have found, however, that in this construction the stitching holds the cut portions so firmly as to detract from the flexibility caused by the cuts in the leather.

I find also that I overcome this serious objection by forming a channel at each edge of the slot in the zone of the flexed portion, so that the ends of the cut sections are not held by the lines of stitching and hence the stitching cannot destroy or modify the flexibility of the acti-on.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown in plan view a shoe made in accordance with my present invention.

It is very common to render boot and shoe soles more flexible by cutting or scoring,

y Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 191 7.

serial No. 158,889.

as is shown in the patent of Strickland, No. 350,705, October 12, 1886, or Rich, No. 438,643, October 21, 1890, but in my improvement I score the outer surface of the outer soleas at a and cut away or channel the outer ends of the scored zone or section as at b so that the outer lines of stitching c will not touch the scored ends and hencewill not interfere with the flexibility sought by the scoring.

I do not limit myself to channeling the outer edges as it is possible that the ends of the sections within the scored Zone may be undercut so as to overhang the lines of stitching but not be bound thereby. A

My invention contemplates any method of scoring the outer surface of the sole and having the ends of the scored sections unattached or secured by the lines of stitching.

. What I claim is:

A shoe sole having a zone of fleXure in the narrow or shank portion of the outer sole wherein the surface of the shoe is scored or out t0 make it flexible, the ends of the scored sections being free from the ordinary lines of stitching.

In testimony whereof, I aliix my signature.

GEORGE L. PIERCE.

Witnesses:

' A. BOARDMAN SPALDING,

C. E. THoRNE. 

